| Beowulf | the main character, has the strength of 30 in each arm, Hygelac’s kinsmen, eventually becomes king of the geats, defeats Grendel and his mother but is killed after defeating a dragon |
| Shield Sheafson | started out as an orphan, became the Danish King, “terror of the hall troops”, book starts with his funeral, father of Beow |
| Beow | son of Sheild, was generous while his father lived so that he could be King next, ruled the Danes for awhile |
| Halfdane | son of Beow and a Swedish princess, “four times a father” |
| King Hrothgar | “current” King of the danes, son of Halfdane, built a glorious Meade Hall, has the Grendel Problem, adopts Beowulf as a son |
| Halga | Halfdane’s daughter, Onela’s queen, “balm in bed” |
| Onela | married to Halga, Swedish King (?) |
| Grendel | a descendant from Cain, an outcast from God, cynical (according to Gardener), destroys the Meade hall and kills people nightly, is killed in a fight with Beowulf in which he loses his arm |
| Hygelac | Beowulf’s uncle, King of the Geats, son of Hrethel, married to Hygd |
| Ecgtheow | Beowulf’s father, great and famous warrior |
| Heorot | the name of the Dane’s Meade Hall |
| Wulfgar | Hrothgar’s herald and officer, a Wendel cheif, renowned for his skill in battle and his wisdom |
| Unferth | son of Ecglaf, dane who challenges Beowulf and lends him his sword, “under a cloud for killing his brothers”. [According to Gardner, he challanges Grendel many times and makes a fool out of himself] |
| Breca | Beowulfs friend who lost the swimming match |
| Wealtheow | Hrothgar’s wife, Queen of the Danes, peaceweaver from the Helmings (?) concerned for her children as heirs after Hrothgar adopts Beowulf |
| Sigemund | a famous hero of Anglo Saxon epic poetry, Scop creates an epic similie between he and Beowulf |
| Grendel’s mother | comes to avenge her son’s death, lives with him in the blood filled mere, is decapitated by Beowulf |
| Hrunting | Unferth’s sword that he lends to Beowulf, doesn’t work |
| Werguild | Sacred obligation for revenge, need to be paid compensation or kill someone on the other side |
| Wyrd | Anglo-Saxon word for fate |
| Cyning | Anglo-Saxon word for king |
| Thane | Anglo-Saxon word for tribesmen and warriors |
| Comitatus | Intensely loyal relationship in which thanes and lords were bound. Thanes fought for the lord in battle and were promised protection, loot and entertainment in return |
| Scop | Minstrels who spread current event news or legends, “shaper of stories” |
| Caesura | A pause that divided Anglo Saxon poetry into two halves of two beats each |
| Kenning | Compound word metaphor that takes the place of a common word (ex. sea= whale-road) |
| Elegy | writing that says that everyone must die eventually |
| Flyting | a boasting/mocking word contest between two warriors |
| Hrethric | Hrothgar’s oldest son,. should inherit the throne but Wealtheow thinks Hrothulf would be a better choice. Beowulf offers to host him in Geatland |
| Hrothulf | Hrothgar’s nephew who will eventually usurp the throne. Contrast to Beowulf being hospitable to Hrethric |
| Aeschere | Hrothgar’s childhood best friend who gets killed by Mama Grendel |
| Hygd | Hygelac’s wife, the queen of the danes. Much better than that bitch Modthryth |
| Wiglaf | your retainer that stands by Beowulf and pretty much kills the dragon for him. Beowulf adopts him as a son (sort of). epitome of comitatus |
| (King) Hrethel | Geat king who took care of Beowulf as his own son |
| (King) Heremod | an evil king who is contrasted to Beowulf, as told by the scop |
| (Queen) Modthryth | a wicked queen that tortured and killed anybody who looked at her the wrong way. contrasted to Hygd |
| Neagling | Beowulf’s sword that snapps in half when he tries to kill the dragon |
Important Beowulf Characters
February 25, 2020